1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to shelving for bathrooms and, more particularly, to a public restroom shelf.
2. Description of the Related Art
While public restrooms provide their users with services and supplies to take care of their personal needs, they do little else. Perhaps the biggest complaint of users' of public restrooms is the lack of horizontal surfaces onto which they can place small personal objects. This problem is most prevalent in restrooms that are part of large public gatherings such as sporting events, entertainment shows and the like. At these gatherings, people are forced to hold items such as beverage cups, food and the like in their hands, balance them on top of fixtures, or set them on the floor. Not only are these solutions messy, they are unsanitary as well. This problem also arises in restrooms in office buildings, schools and the like where one needs to set a cellular phone, notebook, pad of paper, book or similar item and there is no space. In these conditions, the person is forced to hold such items under their chin or arms while using the bathroom.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which a storage location for small, personal items can be provided in public restrooms. The development of the public restroom shelf fulfills this need.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related. The following patents disclose the design and function of a bathroom shelf: U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,880 issued in the name of Kuntz; U.S. Pat. No. D 358,733 issued in the name of Paul; U.S. Pat. No. D 339,260 issued in the name of Hillard et al.; U.S. Pat. No. D 274,023 issued in the name of Boroch; U.S. Pat. No. D 267,059 issued in the name of Thompson; and U.S. Pat. No. D 248,702 issued in the name of Baldini;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,966 issued in the name of Kuntz describes freestanding, sheet metal bathroom shelves.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,907 issued in the name of McKee discloses a towel rack convenience shelf.
U.S. Pat. No. D 381,539 issued in the name of Lee describes the ornamental design for a decorative bathroom corner shelf and bathroom tissue concealer.
U.S. Pat. No. D 329,158 issued in the name of Tuzi discloses the ornamental design for a bathroom corner shelf unit.
Consequently, a need has been felt for providing a device which allows for greater ease of use and increased comfort while using a pubic restroom in a manner which is quick, easy and efficient.